Page 5 of A Marriage is Arranged

“Well, Gran,” said the Earl, coming into the salon where his grandmother was dozing by the fire, “I must say, I thought you would be agog to know all about my pledged bride. Instead, I find you asleep.”

“I was not asleep,” said his grandmother, ignoring for once the appellation she found so disagreeable. She straightened her cap, which had slid forward over one eye. “I was merely resting a little. But don’t tell me you made the girl an offer! Is she so pretty it was love at first sight?”

“No.” said his lordship, “Not at all. Quite the opposite. She’s too short, too thin, very plain and dresses appallingly. But she is a lady.”

“Goodness! You say it’s already all arranged between you?” His grandmother sat up straight in her chair.

“Yes, it’s all arranged. I offered, she said yes and Booking and I went to see her with the Settlements and all that. Wasn’t that what you wanted? Don’t tell me it was all a hum!”

“Of course it wasn’t a hum, you silly boy. I do want you to marry a nice girl. You said she was a lady, but she is a nice girl, at least? Even if she isn’t pretty?”

Gareth hesitated. “I can’t tell you. She didn’t say much. I wasn’t there long the first time. Then the second time I was with Booking, so there was no occasion for private communication.”

“Whatever can you mean? Didn’t you at least have a conversation with her?”

“No, there wasn’t the least need. She accepted my proposal and that was that. I rode over and I didn’t want to keep Jupiter waiting too long in the wind.”

“You mean you rode over there deliberately on that overpriced thoroughbred of yours so that you’d have a good excuse to leave early! I declare, I’m ashamed of you, Gareth!”

“Why? You were the one who told me to ask her to be my wife. You didn’t expect me to waste my time making love to her, did you? I told you, there wasn’t the least need! She was perfectly willing.”

“But a gentleman doesn’t visit a woman he thinks he may marry already thinking of a rapid escape! If she had been a positive antidote, you could have made your excuses in an appropriate manner.”

“She is almost a positive antidote! I can tell you when I first saw her, I was glad I’d kept the horse waiting outside. I nearly left again on the spot. But something made me go through with it. It’s odd, but I had the suspicion she was laughing at me and I was damned if I’d let her get away with it. Then she said something rather strange when I offered for her. She said I promise you now that if our marriage is not a success, it will not be for lack of effort on my part . I’ve thought about that since, and I’m not sure what she meant by it.”

“Laughing at you? Why should she do that? I’m surprised you didn’t frighten her to death. And it seems evident what she meant! She wants the marriage to succeed. I think it handsome of her to say so much, especially as from what you’ve told me, you made no attempt to engage her at all!”

“What can that matter? We have our whole married life to get to know each other. And she wasn’t afraid of me. Anyway, I’m no doubt refining on it too much. She has no experience of the world and it’s unlikely she’d be subtle.”